A proposal increasing the mandatory retirement age for Florida judges has unanimously passed a subpanel of the state’s Constitution Revision Commission. That’s the panel that meets every 20 years to revise the state constitution.

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Commissioner Bill Schifino chairs the CRC’s Judicial Committee. He says he filed the proposal to attract and retain the highest quality judges. As the former President of the Florida Bar and its past President-elect, Schifino says he’s traveled the state to get a sense of judges’ thoughts on changing the retirement age from 70 to 75.

“And, to see if allowed, they would have continued to serve, and uniformly, without fail from each of these markets, the answer has always been the same: ‘I would have loved that opportunity,’” he said. “And, that was the genesis of raising the retirement age to 75. 75…some would say that’s the new 55.”

If Schifino’s proposal eventually passes the full 37-member panel of the Constitution Revision Commission, it will go on the Florida ballot—requiring voter approval. If that happens, it will take effect July 1st, 2019.

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